Using a Starlink terminal in Iran can result in a hefty prison sentence.
image: Imago / watson
U.S. activists are helping Iranians access Starlink to circumvent the regime’s internet restrictions while minimizing the risk of repression.
Mar 28, 2026, 1:54 p.mMar 28, 2026, 1:54 p.m
Charlotte CAUSIT, Washington, USA / AFP
While the war in Iran is accompanied by a near-total internet blockade (Watson reported), activists around the world, particularly in the United States, are mobilizing to continue allowing Iranians to connect via the Starlink network.
Although billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite system is not officially available in Iran, it has gained traction there in recent years thanks to a network of international players, according to several U.S.-based people involved in the effort.
translation
This text was written by our colleagues from French-speaking Switzerland and we translated it for you.
Hundreds of devices delivered
These digital activists have been working to smuggle Starlink antennas into Iran since 2022 – after the mass protests following the death of Mahsa Amini. They help Iranians who receive such shipments use them safely, especially there The Iranian authorities will officially criminalize the use of these devices since 2025, a prison sentence is not excluded.
Emilia James from the US organization NetFreedom Pioneers provides information, but at the same time points out that for security reasons she cannot provide any details:
“So far we have delivered more than 300 devices to the country.”
Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of Holistic Resilience, reports that his nonprofit organization “Bought Starlink devices in European countries or elsewhere” before smuggling them into Iran via “neighboring countries”.
Secret networks for more security
While the association has delivered “up to 200” antennas to civilian actors, it has also facilitated the sale of “more than 5,000” Starlink devices by connecting ordinary citizens with unofficial resellers, he explains.
A less risky approach, as possession of a Starlink device sent by an American agency could lead to harsher penalties if arrested, he points out. Holistic Resilience therefore relies on smuggling networks and, in addition to user manuals, also offers advice on digital security remotely.
Since the Iranians have their Starlink subscriptions can only register and pay via detours, The payment methods Visa and Mastercard do not work domestically.
Although they cannot know exactly how many antennas actually entered the country and were activated, Ahmadian estimates “that there are definitely more than 50,000 Starlink antennas in Iran.”
Emilia James of NetFreedom Pioneers estimates the number of devices in the country of 92 million people to be in the “tens of thousands.” Starlink did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Unaffordable prices and strong repression
Although these terminals can actually be used by several people, for example by providing an entire family or an entire building with an Internet connection, accessibility remains limited because it is “too expensive,” admits Emilia James.
To purchase a Starlink antenna on the black market, Iranians had until the end of 2025 about 800 to 1000 US dollars (630 to 800 Swiss francs) pay, reports Ahmad Ahmadian – an already prohibitive amount.
Added to this were the subscription fees, which were at least free for all new customers after the brutally suppressed mass demonstrations in January. Since this incident and the start of the war at the end of February, the cost of the antennas has skyrocketed and, according to Ahmadian up to 4000 US dollars (3150 Swiss francs) per piece. He adds:
“I believe there is currently a delivery problem for many sellers as most of these Starlink devices have only recently entered the country via the southern borders and waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping is currently paralyzed.”
This is inevitably exacerbated by the increased risks for sellers and potential buyers.
Since the start of the war and the imposition of this new internet blockade, the Iranian authorities step up its crackdown on the use of Starlink and reportedly try, at least locally, to identify antennas on roofs or balconies, which causes additional concern, as James reports.
In mid-March, Iranian authorities arrested a man allegedly identified as the head of a network that sold Internet access via Starlink.